Psychologists Off the Clock

Inequality is a pervasive problem in society that leads to individuals and entire communities feeling undervalued and neglected and can have adverse impacts. We excitedly welcome acclaimed Harvard sociologist Michèle Lamont for this discussion, who joins Debbie to impart wisdom and discoveries from her powerful book, Seeing Others: How Recognition Works and How It Can Heal a Divided World. As they explore the complicated topic of recognition in society, Michele draws from almost four decades of research and interviews with young adults, cultural figures, and advocates for change to highlight the differences in treatment given to certain groups, the impacts of denied recognition, and the role of narratives in shaping societal and cultural norms and values. We also get Michele’s informed perspective on the social changes needed for us to cultivate a more compassionate and inclusive society. If this topic speaks to you, please join us for this very meaningful discussion and be part of the change we want to see in the world!

Dr. Michèle Lamont is a Professor of Sociology and of African and African American Studies and the Robert I. Goldman Professor of European Studies at Harvard University. An influential cultural sociologist who studies boundaries and inequality, she has tackled topics such as dignity, respect, stigma, racism, class, and racial boundaries, and how we evaluate social worth across societies. Her most recent book is Seeing Others: How Recognition Works and How It Can Heal a Divided World (forthcoming with Simon and Schuster, September 2023). Her other books include: Money, Morals, and Manners (1992), The Dignity of Working Men (2000), How Professors Think (2009), as well as the coauthored Getting Respect (2016). After studying with Pierre Bourdieu and others in Paris in the early eighties, Lamont emerged as a pioneer in cultural and comparative sociology, helping to define these fields as we know them today. Her many awards include the C. Wright Mills Award from the Society for the Study of Social Problems for The Dignity of Working Men, the 2014 Guttenberg Award, the 2017 Erasmus Prize, and honorary doctorates from six countries. She served as President of the American Sociological Association in 2016, was a Carnegie Fellow in 2021-2022, and was inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2023. She co-chaired the advisory board to the 2022 United Nations Human Development Report, “Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a World in Transformation.”

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In this bonus episode, Michael leads Jill, Debbie, and Emily in a hilarious round of Dungeons&Dragons. If you just tuned into our episode with Megan Connell on Dungeons&Dragons in Therapy, you’ll understand that tabletop role-playing games can only truly be understood by experiencing them in action, and who better to demonstrate it than the POTC cohosts? And, for those interested in trying it out themselves, we also provide some free resources. Welcome to Psychologists Off the Clock and Dungeons&Dragons!

• 330. Dungeons&Dragons in Therapy with Megan Connell

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Many clinical professionals all over the world are incorporating tabletop roleplaying games (RPGs) into therapy. They offer diverse benefits and can be a game-changing way to introduce enjoyment and creativity into therapy sessions. For this conversation, we are thrilled to be joined by Megan Connell, author of Tabletop Role-Playing Therapy: A Guide for the Clinician Game Master, to talk about the advantages and potential of RPGs in therapy. Using the wildly popular Dungeons&Dragons as the primary example, we look at how coming together to solve problems, face conflicts, and overcome obstacles through collective storytelling can provide a safe and creative environment for individuals to explore without real-world consequences, while also building on skills such as social and confidence development. Listen in and elevate your therapy game with a perfect blend of fun and learning!

Resources:

Dr. Connell is a Licensed Psychologist and a Therapeutic Dungeon Master. She graduated from Argosy University Hawai’i in 2010 and served as a psychologist in the US Army for seven years. While in the Army she received specialty training focused on trauma and PTSD. In 2016, she left active duty and started her work in private practice. There, she has focused her work primarily on challenges related to anxiety, panic, changes in life, depression, trauma, and helping women on the autism spectrum. Through her work with Leyline Geek Therapeutics, she has helped train other mental health professionals on what geek culture is and how we can use geek culture to lead to better, more fulfilling lives. 

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Is curiosity one of your greatest superpowers when it comes to making meaningful connections, healing, and growing personally? This episode features Scott Shigeoka, an expert on curiosity and the author of Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World. Join us as Scott draws from personal experiences and extensive research to teach us about the power of deep curiosity and how it goes beyond mere knowledge-seeking to revolutionize your well-being, relationships, and even the world around you.

Scott Shigeoka is an internationally recognized curiosity expert, speaker, and author. He is known for translating research into strategies that promote positive well-being and connected relationships around the globe, including at the UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center and through his groundbreaking courses at the University of Texas at Austin. Scott implements his curiosity practices in the public sector, Fortune 500 companies, Hollywood, media organizations, education institutions, and small businesses.

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We are all affected by change in some way or another. Whether it is an economic crisis, a career change, a global pandemic, or having children, change is unavoidable. In this episode, we welcome back best-selling author Brad Stulberg to talk about his new book, Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing - Including You. Brad shares a new model for defining change and draws upon principles for developing a renewed mindset around change that is supported by modern science, ancient wisdom, and daily practice. Brad's insight serves as a powerful reminder to embrace change with a fresh outlook and is a beacon of inspiration for every individual navigating life's constant changes. Tune in and discover how to reframe your perception of change and explore new avenues for growth and self-discovery.

Resources:

Brad Stulberg researches, writes, and coaches on health, well-being, and sustainable excellence. He is the bestselling author of The Practice of Groundedness and co-author of Peak Performance. Stulberg regularly contributes to the New York Times, and his work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and the Atlantic, among many other publications. He is on faculty at the University of Michigan’s graduate School of Public Health. In his coaching practice, he works with executives, entrepreneurs, physicians, and athletes. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina. https://www.bradstulberg.com/ 

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It is astounding how much information we are exposed to on a daily basis. But how can we transform information overload into opportunity? For this episode, we invited internationally recognized leading futurist, entrepreneur, and author Ross Dawson to the conversation to share valuable insights from his new book, "Thriving on Overload: The 5 Powers for Success in a World of Exponential Information" Ross gives his take on the challenges of information overload in today's digital age and provides a detailed roadmap for navigating the noise and making better-informed decisions about the information you engage in by harnessing five essential powers - Purpose, Framing, Filtering, Attention, and Synthesis. 

Ross Dawson is globally recognized as a leading futurist, entrepreneur, keynote speaker and strategy advisor. 

Ross is Founding Chairman of the Advanced Human Technologies group of companies and Bondi Innovation Alliance. 

He travels the world helping business and government leaders think about the future, having delivered keynotes and strategy workshops in over 30 countries across six continents. 

He is the bestselling author of five books, including Thriving on Overload: The 5 Powers for Success in a World of Exponential Information. 

Ross frequently appears in the media, including on CNN, Bloomberg TV, SkyNews, ABC TV, USA Today, the Today and Sunrise shows, and many other programs.

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The topic of weight and body image is more prevalent in today's society than ever before. Every day we are bombarded with messages that convey the thin ideal and encourage us to strive for certain body types. Sadly, what is often overlooked is the harmful impact of these societal expectations, especially on people who don't fit the narrow definition of beauty. Our guest for this episode is Dr. Sarah Pegrum, a clinical psychologist, ACT peer-reviewed trainer, and author of the groundbreaking book "Break the Binds of Weight Stigma." Sarah provides an insightful perspective into the role of weight stigma and anti-fat bias in our culture, as well as how the wellness and health industries perpetuate these prejudices for their own gain. We discuss how this, in turn, leads to shame and consequent unhealthy behaviors and underline the importance of analyzing the "obesity epidemic" narrative more critically, as it is often more complex than it is often portrayed. Tune in for this empowering conversation on breaking free from body image struggles using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and start embracing life to the fullest!

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Unseen, unheard, undervalued - have you ever felt like that? As our guest this week, Dr. Janina Scarlet, a licensed clinical psychologist, points out, these feelings, while understandable, can be overcome. In Janina's mission to de-stigmatize loneliness and help people connect and support one another, she authored the book 'Unseen, Unheard, Undervalued: Managing Loneliness, Loss of Connection and Not Fitting in’ which serves as the backdrop for the conversation in this episode. You'll hear how to combat loneliness by understanding its dimensions, talking more about our experiences with loneliness, and seeking emotional support and self-compassion. Janina also offers many helpful tips, from finding and cultivating a ‘chosen family’ who truly sees, hears, and values you to transforming how you feel and react to shame. Don't miss this enriching conversation with Dr. Janina Scarlett!

Dr. Janina Scarlet is a licensed clinical psychologist, an award-winning author, and a full-time geek. A Ukrainian-born refugee, she survived Chernobyl radiation and persecution. She immigrated to the United States at the age of 12 with her family and later, inspired by the X-Men, developed Superhero Therapy to help patients with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Dr. Scarlet is the recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award by the United Nations Association for her work on Superhero Therapy. Her work has been featured on Yahoo!, the BBC, NPR, Sunday Times, CNN, CW, ABC, The New York Times, Forbes and many other outlets. She regularly consults on books and television shows, including HBO’s The Young Justice. She was also portrayed as a comic book character in Gail Simone’s Seven Days graphic novel. Dr. Scarlet is the Lead Trauma Specialist at the Trauma and PTSD Healing Center and the Lead Creativity Coach at Creative Community in San Diego, California.

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Students in high-achieving schools across America are facing increased rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm due to intense pressure to succeed. This leads educators, parents, and community leaders to grapple with a difficult question: how can we encourage excellence while avoiding overwhelming our children? In this episode, co-host Emily Edlynn interviews award-winning reporter Jennifer B. Wallace about her book, 'Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic-And What We Can Do About It'. Jennifer draws importance to the framework of “mattering” as a healthy way to motivate success and shares key findings from her three-year investigation into the root of anxieties and fears parents have regarding their children's success in today's world. Additionally, she sheds light on the impact of economic scarcity and intensive parenting and offers practical strategies to combat a toxic achievement culture at home. This is a conversation not to be missed! 

Jennifer Wallace is an award-winning journalist and author of the New York Times bestselling book Never Enough: When Achievement Pressure Becomes Toxic – and What We Can Do About It.  She is a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post and appears on national television to discuss her articles and relevant topics in the news.  

After graduating from Harvard College, Wallace began her journalism career at CBS “60 Minutes,” where she was part of a team that won The Robert F. Kennedy Awards for Excellence in Journalism. She is a Journalism Fellow at The Center for Parent and Teen Communication at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Jennifer serves on the board of the Coalition for the Homeless in New York City, where she lives with her husband and their three children.

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The secret is finally out! We’re kicking off an amazing new chapter for POTC this week as we reveal our two latest additions to the cohost team - Emily Edlynn and Michael Herold! It’s going to be a blast having them aboard, and we can't wait for you to discover all the invaluable wisdom and ideas they have to offer in the realm of psychology. With Emily's insight into science-based parenting guidance and Michael’s background in confidence and social skills training, they bring such a refreshing and relatable perspective, and we feel privileged to have them join the team. Listen in to get to know them better and hear what our team is most looking forward to as we start this new journey together!

Michael is a confidence trainer and social skills coach, based in Vienna, Austria. He's helping his clients overcome their social anxiety through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and fun exposure exercises. (Though the jury is still out on whether they're mostly fun for him)

He is also a certified therapeutic game master, utilizing the Dungeons&Dragons tabletop roleplaying game to train communication, assertiveness, and teamwork with young adults. Or actually, anyone ready to roll some dice and battle goblins in a supportive group where players want to level up (pun!) their social skills.

Michael is the head coach of the L.A. based company The Art of Charm, running their confidence-building program “Unstoppable” as well as workshops on small talk, storytelling, vulnerability, and more. He is the scientific advisor and co-producer of their large podcast with more than 250 million downloads. 

As a member of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS), Michael is the current President of the ACT Coaching Special Interest Group with nearly 1,000 coaches worldwide, and the co-founder of the ACT in Austria Affiliate of ACBS, a nationwide meetup for ACT practitioners in Austria.

He's a public speaker who has spoken at TEDx, in front of members of parliament, universities, and once in a cinema full of 500 kids high on sugary popcorn.

Emily (she/her) is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in pediatric health psychology who works in private practice with children, teens, and adults. She has a BA in English from Smith College, a PhD in clinical psychology from Loyola University Chicago, and completed postgraduate training at Stanford and Children’s Hospital Orange County. Emily spent almost ten years working in children’s hospitals before pivoting to private practice, which allowed her to start a writing career. Emily has written her blog, The Art and Science of Mom, since 2017 and a parenting advice column for Parents.com since 2019. Emily’s writing has also appeared in the Washington Post, Scary Mommy, Good Housekeeping, Motherly, and more. She recently added author to her bio with her book, Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent Confident Children and has a Substack newsletter. Emily lives with her husband, three children, and two rescue dogs in Oak Park, IL where she can see Chicago’s skyline from her attic window.      

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